Which teams have biggest need for a scoring winger?

It’s almost certain that Nail Yakupov, the first overall pick of the 2012 entry draft, is on his way out of Edmonton. This has been evident for some time based on Oilers coach Todd McLellan’s usage of Yakupov, but also indicated by numerous negative media assessment of Yakupov as a player and trade rumours around the player. It’s been no secret for some time that the player is on the block, so Sunday’s news that Yakupov has also requested a trade is just the icing on the cake.

Yakupov has just 19 points in 56 games this year and he will make $2.5 million next season, but given that he’s 22 and he was once the consensus top age group player in the hockey world, it’s likely some other team will take on the final year of his deal.

After an impressive rookie year in 2012-13 under head coach Ralph Krueger, Yakupov struggled under Dallas Eakins, before playing well for a time under Todd Nelson. Under Nelson, Yakupov was teamed up with Derek Roy.

Yakupov has also played well this year when teamed with Connor McDavid, but not well on the same lime as Mark Letestu, who isn’t known as an NHL point producer. Of course, there’s a universe of difference between playing with McDavid and Letestu, but Yakupov’s solid play with Roy was a good sign he doesn’t need to be teamed with Superman to succeed.

Yakupov seems to do best when teamed with a fast north-south skating centre and also when his coach is more of a people person than a stickler for defensive play.

Overall, though, he’s been at best a mediocre winger for the Oilers, often looking lost on the ice. Still, I suspect he’ll get another chance. He’s not a bad bet.

Which team is most likely to make that bet? To determine this, I looked at which NHL teams have the greatest need for a second line winger in 2016-17.

The Toronto Maple Leafs would also be on the list, as they have need at every position, but with two young attacking prospects like Mitch Marner and William Nylander, I just can’t see Toronto biting on Yakupov.

Let’s look at the eight in turn:

New York Islanders

If top winger Kyle Okposo, 57 points in 72 games, leaves as an unrestricted free agent this July then the Islanders will have a gaping hole to fill. They will be counting on Brock Nelson, 38 points in 73 games, Josh Bailey, 31 points in 73 games, and Anders Lee, 33 points in 74 games.

So with Okposo, their top lines are covered. If he moves, the Islanders will have to hope young Ryan Strome, 25 points in 63 games, or veteran Nikolay Kulemin, 19 points in 74 games, can step up. The Islanders also have top prospect Mathew Barzal, the 13th overall prospect according to The Hockey News, but Barzal has played centre, isn’t big and may need more time in major junior. Then there’s big winger Michael Dal Colle, ranked 46th overall by The Hockey News, who took a step back in major junior this year.

It’s worth noting that Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli and Islanders GM Garth Snow have done many deals in the past.

Carolina Hurricanes

The Canes have Jeff Skinner, 47 points in 76 games, and then … well …

Elias Lindholm, 37 points in 76 games, may go to the wing full-time,. but might also be needed at centre. Andrej Nestrasil, 23 points in 55 games and a good friend of Yakupov’s could also go to the wing. Then there’s Joakim Nordstrom, 23 points in 65 games.

As for prospects, young Finn winger Sebastian Aho is ranked 18th overall by The Hockey News, and Phil Di Giuseppe had 17 points in 41 games for the Canes this year.

But a ton of question marks for the Canes on the wing. The coming draft may help here, but even then the Canes are full of holes.

Montreal Canadiens

There are two sure things here in Max Pacioretty and Brendan Gallagher, and one more if Alex Galchenyuk, 50 points in 76 games, is a winger. But Galchenyuk will likely be needed at centre.

There’s a good wing prospect in Michael McCarron, who had a decent AHL season, plus other hopefuls like Sven Andrighetto, Jacob de la Rose, Nikita Scherbak, and Daniel Carr, but McCarron, ranked 47th overall for prospects by The Hockey News, is the best bet.

Buffalo Sabres

Evander Kane, 35 points in 64 games, and Sam Reinhart, 39 points in 72 games, are the top two wingers here. Those scoring numbers are far from jaw dropping, though Reinhart was a rookie.

Multiple concussions have limited Tyler Ennis, 11 points in 23 games, this year. Two vets on big tickets, Matt Moulson, 17 points in 74 games, and Brian Gionta, 28 points in 72 games, have not done well on the attack, nor has young Zemgus Girgensons, 16 points in 64 games. Marcus Foligno, another option, has just 22 points in 68 games. Buffalo just signed its top wing prospect, 20-year-old University of Minnesota winger Hudson Fasching, but he’s not seen as a can’t miss kid.

Yakupov on a line with Jack Eichel? It might just work. It’s not a terrible bet, that’s for sure. Of course, the draft may bring a winger like Patrik Laine to the Sabres, so there’s that.

Vancouver Canucks

They have a sure thing in Daniel Sedin, 59 points in 75 games, and a good bet in Jannik Hansen, 32 points in 60 games. After that? Hmmm.

Radim Vrbata will be 35 and he got just 27 points in 63 games. There’s young question mark Sven Baertschi, 28 points in 67 games, and older one Alex Burrows, 21 points in 72 games. There’s also prospect Jake Virtanen, 13 points in 50 games in his rookie year, plus more question marks in Emerson Etem, Alex Grenier and Derek Dorsett.

The one top prospect on the wing is Brock Boeser, ranked 36th by The Hockey News, so a good prospect but not great.

The Canucks are high, high, high in the need department here, though a top winger may well drop to them in the draft.

Calgary Flames

Calgary has one great winger in Johnny Gaudreau, and three other top line contenders in Michael Frolik, Joe Colborne and Sam Bennett. All three got a point about every second game.

As for talent coming up, nope, not much. This is a team in need of another good scoring winger, but is Yakupov’s Calgary’s cup of tea? Calgary could also get a top winger with its top pick.

There’s no one else on the team who looks ready to move up, with young Beau Bennett putting up only 10 points in 28 games. Prospect Daniel Sprong made the team out of training camp, but got just 2 points in 18 games.

The Penguins took Justin Schultz for a third-rounder and if that reclamation projects works out OK, perhaps they’ll get it in their head they can succeed where the Oilers failed. Certainly the notion of teaming Yakupov up with Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin might be enticing to all.

NJ Devils

Kyle Palmieri stands out, with 53 points in 76 games. Mike Cammalleri had 38 points in 42 games. He was hurt much of this season with a hand injury and will be 33 in September, but the Devils will be counting on a comeback.

They will also count on Devante Smith-Pelly, who has 11 points in 12 games for the Devils. After that, though, there’s rookies Joseph Blandisi, 17 points in 37 games, and Reid Boucher, 17 points in 34 games, and maybe the hope that big Pavel Zacha, The Hockey News’ eighth ranked prospect overall, will be NHL ready.

Tampa Lightning

They have top wingers in Nikita Kucherov, 62 points in 72 games, and Ondrej Palat, 34 points in 55 games. After that? Ryan Callahan earns $5.8 million per and got 28 points in 70 games. Alex Killorn got 38 in 74, so he’s got a job. After that? Hmmm. The Hockey News has Brayden Point rated 48th overall and Vlad Namestnikov shows promise, but if Steven Stamkos leaves, N. will be a centre. As for Jonathan Drouin, who knows? So, like the Islanders with Okposo, this comes down to what happens in free agency and trades.

Winnipeg Jets

The Jets will count on Blake Wheeler, 67 points in 75 games, Nikolaj Ehlers, 32 points and 65 games, and top prospect Kyle Connor, ranked the ninth overall prospect by The Hockey News. Connor put up as many points in his rookie college year as did Jack Eichel, so the Jets are over-the-moon with him as a prospect. He may well be signed to a pro deal soon, though another year in college isn’t out of the question.

This year the Jets also used Mathieu Perreault, 41 points in 71 games, on the wing. Then there’s Drew Stafford, 35 points in 71 games, plus youngsters like Joel Armia, Marko Dano and Alex Burmistrov.

If Connor wasn’t around, the Jets would likely be in need, but they’re likely putting all or most of their eggs in that basket.

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